Drop the Bass
by Vsquared-k
Summary: Beca/Chloe futurefic: Chloe's not fond of going to the club, but her friend swears this one's different...


_**A/N:** A one-shot prompted by anon on tumblar._

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Chloe looked at herself in the mirror, and sighed, tugging lightly at her disobedient bangs. Scrunching her nose in annoyance, she blew up at them to unsettle them as her phone started to go off. _I've got a new life, you would hardly recognize me, I'm so gla-_

She took a deep breath before getting the phone out of her pocket. "Hey, Brooke! Happy Birthday!"

"_Are you coming tonight? I know you're not super fond of clubs..._" Too much bass. Too many people getting in the way of the music. Too many bad mixes that bothered her musical sensibilities. "_...But we all know it's not a real party until Chloe Beale walks into the room!_"

Chloe scoffed, sifting through her choice of club-ready dresses before settling on a generic off-the-shoulder little black dress. She wasn't going there to impress anyone. "I'll be there, I promise! I wouldn't miss your birthday for the world!" The smile she had plastered on her face looked fake in the mirror. She idly wondered if that translated over the phone.

"_Good! And before you start looking for reasons to leave early, I have to tell you this... the music at this club isn't typical club fare. Maybe you'll like it?_"

Chloe's eyebrow tweaked upwards cautiously. Brooke wouldn't say that lightly... maybe there was hope for this evening after all. "We'll see." The laugh was genuine, and her heart rose from the deep pit it had carved into her stomach. "How'd you find out about this club, anyway?"

Brooke hummed on the other line a bit, "_I asked around. It's not too well known, but apparently their DJ is some fancy shit._" Chloe scoffed. They'd see about that. "_Anyway, it doesn't matter. I'd better see you here in 45 minutes to pre-game, or I'm revoking the friend card!_"

Chloe rolled her eyes fondly, tugging her heels on in the process, "Who's DD tonight?"

"_Mary? Or is it Desirée? I dunno, it doesn't matter. Monty might be coming, so I'm sure he'll agree to be the DD. But you're definitely not allowed to be sober, because God knows what a music buzzkill you'll be if you don't get some alcohol in you tonight._"

"You, Miss Brooke, are lucky it's your birthday." She quickly checked her makeup in the mirror one more time before grabbing her tiny hide-away clubbing wallet. "I happen to have a very sensitive ear for music, and clubs-"

"_Don't treat music properly, I know. We've been over this, Chloe Beale. Now get your ass over here, so we can get this party started!_" Chloe smiled tightly before shutting the door to her apartment. Hopefully the night wouldn't be as bad as she thought it was going to be.

\o/

Chloe was super glad Brooke had reserved a booth, because she totally wasn't up to staying on her feet all night, and the bottle service was a fantastic plus. She took a shot of Grey Goose before surveying the floor. There weren't very many people at this particular club, which turned out to be slightly out of the way and hidden, but the music was fantastic. She had to hand it to DJ TRebell'maker (what kind of DJ name was TRebell'maker? Chloe really wanted to know. And what was with the bad spelling and random apostrophe?), they definitely were good at what they did.

"Hey, you crazy dancing people! A shout out to Brooke, because it's her **21st birthday**!"

Chloe canted her head, confused, as 50 Cent's iconic birthday song thumped over the speakers. DJ TRebell'maker was a girl? Brooke didn't give her time to think, though, dancing her way over to the booth and dragging her off the plush faux-leather seats with a laugh.

"She said I was 21!" Brooke leaned to yell into Chloe's ears.

Chloe mockingly dropped her mouth open in shock., "You're not 21?!" Brooke swatted Chloe's arm before stepping back and dragging Chloe into the thick of the dance floor. But something about the song was different...

The DJ had been playing a lot of mashups, and Chloe had been enjoying her time at the booth by playing "Guess that song". So far, she'd heard the Beach Boys mixed with Coldplay, and Katy Perry mixed with t.a.t.u., all thrown in with typical club fare, but she could almost swear that she'd heard some of the DJ's mixes before. She wasn't entirely sure, since the alcohol had made her memory a little hazy.

Oh God, was 50 Cent being mashed up with Ace of Base? He was! Chloe decided she liked this DJ. Damn, these mixes were fantastic.

Chloe pulled Brooke towards her, leaning in to make herself heard. "I used to sing this song in college."

"You can't sing 50 Cent!" was the retort, and Chloe threw her head back in laughter, "No, I mean the other song! It's my ringtone!"

Brooke slowed her dancing before her mouth fell open in recognition, "Fuck me! It totally is!" Chloe smirked. "That's crazy!"

"I know!" They danced a while, before Chloe leaned in again, "Thanks for forcing me to come! This place is awesome!"

Brooke grinned, "I knew you'd like it!"

An iconic guitar riff ripped through the air, causing Chloe to slow her movements a little as the strangers around her howled in approval. What DJ in their right mind would play Back in Black at a club? Mixed or not, it wasn't very- Oh, was that Beck?

That was Beck. Chloe definitely did not see that coming.

And when No Diggity chimed in, Chloe definitely had a new favorite DJ.

\o/

Moments after they announced last call over the speakers, Chloe stumbled over to the bar, leaning heavily on the lacquered surface and smiled toothily at the bartender. "Hi!"

He smiled warmly at her as he popped the top off a random bottle of beer and slid it down the bar to a young man at the end. "What can I get you?"

"Can I... buy the DJ a drink? Whatever she likes."

He chuckled at her inquiry, but nodded. "And who should I say it's from?"

Chloe tapped her finger exaggeratedly on her chin before deciding on, "Her number one ginger!"

He grinned. "Sounds good! Eight dollars, 'kay, Red?"

"That's highway robbery!" Chloe handed him ten dollars with a pout and indicating he keep the change. The bartender chuckled at her as he crushed a lemon over a glass before reaching for several of the multitude of bottles behind him. After finishing the mix, he handed the glass to Chloe, who looked at him, confused.

"You give it to her!" He shrugged. "We're pretty lax around here, and we're a little short-staffed today, so just head to the back and up the stairs. If anyone asks, tell them the drink's for B." Chloe nodded, repeating the instructions under her breath before toddling off, haphazardly spilling some of the drink onto the floor and her hand.

By the time Chloe reached the top of the stairs, she had lost a good quarter of the drink. The door in front of her told her not to go in, but the bartender had said it was fine, so Chloe just pushed on the door. A singular person stood, with her back to her, fingers splayed across the sound board. As David Guetta weaved in with the Proclaimers, something in the back of Chloe's memory stirred, but, inebriated as she was, she couldn't quite grasp the memory. Something about the Bellas, and showers, and... Chloe cleared her throat, barely causing the diminutive DJ to glance up at the mirror in front of her before turning her attention back to her work.

"If that drink's for me, I don't want it. You have it... Benny probably made it for you anyway."

Chloe's brow furrowed almost comically. "But I bought it for you!"

The DJ shrugged, preoccupied. "Drinking interferes with my mixing." Chloe's lower lip protruded and quivered slightly, not that the DJ would have seen. Said DJ pointed at a plush sofa by the doorway Chloe was standing in without turning around. "I just have to deal with the transition to the last song, and then we can chat or something, yeah?"

Chloe's eyes lit up at the idea of sitting and chatting with her new favorite person. She dropped unceremoniously onto the couch, splashing a majority of the whatever drink remained onto her dress. "Oh shit!"

"There are towels to your left."

Chloe grabbed them, and laughed as she dabbed clumsily at her dress. "I'm assuming this happens a lot?"

The DJ shrugged before announcing to the club that she was done for the night, shifting to a fun. mashup, and turning around. "It happens enough that-"

"That what?" Confused, Chloe peeked up at the DJ, before her jaw fell open in shock. "Oh my god, Beca?"

"Chloe?" Beca's shell-shocked expression morphed into a grin. "Damn, it is you! It's been way too long! How are you?"

"Except for being uncomfortably wet, I'm awesome!" Chloe grimaced, before downing the rest of the cocktail in her hand. "That came out wrong." She placed the glass on the ground by her feet before getting up too fast, and falling back onto the couch.

Beca shook her head, amused. "You haven't changed much, have you? Anyway, what brings you here?"

"Uh... It's Brooke's 21st birthday." Suddenly, as Beca rolled her eyes at her own admittedly horrible joke, something clicked in Chloe's brain, causing her to point her finger at the brunette. "You were using songs we used to sing in the Bellas for your mashups!"

Beca looked surprised. "You noticed?" Chloe nodded. "Then you're not as far gone as I thought you were."

"Of course I am!"

"Well then, maybe you are..." Beca made a point to fan her hand in front of her nose. "Since you smell like a brewery."

"And you're still a smart ass, I see." Chloe glared mockingly at the DJ, who just laughed at her.

"You haven't stopped barging into places without prior notice either, so I guess we're even." Chloe nodded, then twitched as her phone vibrated in her bra.

"Sorry, I just got a text." Beca quickly turned to look at the ceiling as Chloe reached into her dress to grab her phone. "Please, as if you haven't seen it all before, you prude."

Beca sputtered unintelligibly, back still to her former teammate.

"I just... met up... with an old friend... don't... worry... about me... I'll tee tee why elle. Elle Oh Elle. Happy Bday. Exclamation point. Send." Chloe looked up from her phone, amused that the brunette still wouldn't turn back around to face her.

"Did you always read your texts out loud while you typed them?" Beca's voice had taken a slightly higher register, and Chloe fought to hold in her giggles.

"Only while drunk."

"Yeah, I didn't think so."

"We should go out for coffee. Right now. We can catch up or something." Beca whirled around, staring at Chloe in shock.

"You weren't that upfront in college, were you?" Chloe pushed her phone back into her dress, enjoying the blush that was crawling up Beca's neck. "Wait no... you walked, _naked_, into my shower stall and forced me to sing."

"Well, yes. And no. I mean, like, I need to sober up before I take the subway home, and coffee is always good. And we should have it together," Chloe breathed.

"Well, if you don't mind, I have instant decaf at my place, which is honestly right around the corner. And I have couches, which will make catching up a hell of a lot more comfortable."

Chloe grinned and nodded in agreement, holding her hands out. As Beca pulled her to her feet, she smirked, "Now who's upfront, DJ TRebell'maker?"

Beca groaned, free hand flying to cover her eyes. "Oh god, please don't say that name ever again."

"Which name? DJ TRebell'maker?" Chloe swung their linked hands as Beca helped her down the stairs.

Beca scowled playfully at her. "Say it one more time, and you're sleeping on the couch tonight."

"DJ TReb- wait, there were other options?"

_Fin_

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**_Notes:_**_ I promise I'm still working on Mutual Toner! I just have, like, this massive-ass assignment due on Friday that is going to bust my face in unless I get that done, and so my creativity will be sapped at least until then... I heart you all for being patient!_


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